


Viva Rock Vegas

by tumblruserpailylove



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Backstory, Drinking, Drunken Shenanigans, F/F, Injury, Las Vegas Wedding, Rock climbing, implied sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-06 00:16:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15874629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tumblruserpailylove/pseuds/tumblruserpailylove
Summary: My take on how Shae and Nicole met and the wild weekend in Vegas that led to their marriage.





	Viva Rock Vegas

**Author's Note:**

> (older piece I am just moving over to this site)

“Hey” Nicole’s lips held her soft, confident little smile she got when she was moving in on something she liked. She looked the tall, dark haired, slender woman over just once before she slid up to the bar next to her.

 

“Hey” The tall woman smiled right back. Her eyes did the same that Nicole’s had done and moved over the other woman’s form slowly. She gave a nod then looked up to find Nicole’s eyes watching her check her out. She smirked slightly and lifted her drink to her lips “So you’re the one who sent over this drink?”

 

Nicole gave a little cheers motion with her own drink and nodded “Vodka and water am I right?”

 

The other woman let out a soft laugh and nodded just once “You have a good eye.”

 

“I’m detail-oriented, what can I say?” Nicole smirked. “I saw you on the wall earlier this morning. How long have you been climbing?”

 

“Since I was a teenager” The woman shrugged. She eyed Nicole carefully then smiled “How about you?”

 

“Since high school” Nicole said with a laugh. “I picked it up as a hobby. Thought it would be exciting. It is, but I am also terrible. Hence why I called it quits early today and decided to hang out at the bar at the base of the mountain instead.”

 

The other woman laughed at that and gave a nod “Climbing takes practice. You’ll get the hang of it.” She sipped at her drink then shrugged “Besides, I ended up in the bar before noon too so I don’t think it has anything to do with your skill level.”

 

Nicole took a sip from her own drink then set it down in order to offer her hand out toward the woman “I’m Nicole. Nicole Haught.”

 

“You certainly are” The woman licked her lips as she shook Nicole’s hand slowly. Her eyes once more moved over Nicole’s form and she gave a nod. When her eyes came back to find Nicole’s, the woman smiled once more “My name is Shae.”

 

“Just Shae?” Nicole perked an eyebrow as she settled back onto the bar stool behind her as the handshake ended.

 

“Well my last name is not nearly as convenient as yours so I was going for the whole woman of mystery angle by leaving it at just Shae.”

 

“I see” Nicole let out a laugh. “Well it’s working.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Shae perked an eyebrow and smirked slightly. “Are you intrigued?”

 

“Why do you think I sent over a drink?” Nicole smirked right back at the other woman. She took a sip from her cup again then licked the flavor of the drink from her lips. “So what brings you to the Vegas area?”

 

Shae smiled and finished her drink. She cleared her throat as the burn from the last bit in the bottom of the cup slid into her stomach. She shrugged and looked back to Nicole with a smile still on her lips “I just got my dream job at my dream hospital so I am here celebrating!”

 

“No way!” Nicole lit up, smiling with her entire face. “Wow that is awesome. Congrats!” She turned and looked at the bartender, giving a little nod when their eyes met. When the bartender realized she wanted to place an order he moved over to them and Nicole motioned to Shae “We need some shots! We are celebrating!”

 

“We?” Shae asked with an amused smirk on her lips.

 

“We’re friends now, at the very least” Nicole offered her reasoning with a laugh. “Besides, everyone needs a buddy in Vegas to stop them from doing something stupid.”

 

“Or to encourage them and do it with them?” Shae offered now with a smirk.

 

“That too” Nicole agreed with a nod. The bartender set down a couple shots and Nicole gave him a nod of thanks. She took one for herself then handed one to Shae “So, here’s to you and your dream job.”

 

The two girls clicked their glasses together before throwing back the shots. Once she had swallowed the drink, Shae shook her head and gave Nicole a smile “So, which one are you?”

 

“Which one of what am I?” Nicole perked an eyebrow in confusion.

 

“Are you the one that needs to be talked out of something stupid or are you the one that encourages and goes along with something stupid?” Shae asked with a smirk.

 

Nicole laughed very softly and gave a shrug “Well I’m only three drinks in so I guess only time will tell.”

 

Shae perked an eyebrow in liking to the statement then motioned to the bartender for two more shots. She looked at Nicole, a smirk firmly planted on her lips “I like that answer.”

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

Nicole laughed as she stumbled slightly alongside Shae. She had one arm looped through Shae’s and the other hand was wrapped tightly around a plastic tube shaped like Britney Spears and filled with some sort of mixed drink. She pointed at one of the buildings and nodded “How about the giant pyramid? I have always wanted to go to Egypt.”

 

Shae eyed the building that they stood across the street from and shook her head “Too popular. I think we should hit a place that is like…” She trailed off as she thought of the word. She just stared blankly for about thirty seconds before she looked back at Nicole with wide eyes “I just forgot the word small! Oh my god” She threw her head back and started laughing hysterically.

 

Nicole let out a loud laugh as well. The two girls stood there on the street corner in Vegas, leaning on each other, laughing about the fact that she had forgotten the word small.

 

After the both of them managed to catch their breath, Shae shook her head in amusement at herself and wiped a tear from her eye “And to think I’m supposed to be a doctor.”

 

“I guess it’s a good thing you don’t use normal words when you’re a doctor” Nicole nodded seriously. “Like you have all these huge words for stuff like smelly feet so it’s no wonder you forgot a simple word like small.”

 

Shae let out a soft laugh and motioned for Nicole to move along with her as they continued down the sidewalk. “Micro” She mumbled with a smile “Micro is the same amount of letters as small. I guess I have just been so brainwashed by medical terminology that I don’t think in English any longer.”

 

Nicole let out a soft laugh “Micro. I knew that.” She stopped in her tracks and pointed now “Ohhh look at that place! Looks like a dump. How about that one?”

 

“Perfect!” Shae agreed and started across the street toward the building Nicole had pointed out. It looked a little dilapidated. There was a picture of an overly happy smiling cowboy on the sign. Shae stopped and pointed at the huge hat he wore and nodded “You’d look so good in a hat like that.”

 

Nicole laughed out and gave her head a shake. She stood under the sign and tried to make it look like the hat was on her head. She posed like she was holding out her gun and smirked at Shae “How do I look, partner?”

 

Shae pressed her lips together to fight off her laughter. She just nodded and bit her lip slightly “Oh yeah. Totally bone-worthy.”

 

“Bone-worthy?” Nicole laughed out softly and reached out for Shae’s hand. She motioned for them to go inside and gave Shae a teasing bump of her hips “Has anyone told you how good with words you are?”

 

“Are you mocking me?” Shae gasped and acted offended.

 

“I am” Nicole laughed out matter-of-factly as they moved inside. They were immediately greeted with the smell of old cigarettes and the sounds of hundreds of slot machines chiming and dinging. Nicole looked around and then to Shae before shrugging “Alright we are in possibly the smallest, grossest casino we could find. Tell me again how you plan on taking them for all they’re worth?”

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“Holy shit” Nicole mumbled as they stumbled out of the tiny cowboy bar. She winced when they were greeted with daylight. They had been in there for hours without even realizing it. She turned and faced Shae, looking at her in amazement. “Holy shit, you actually did it. You are a slot machine shark!”

 

Shae was smiling widely as she held the payout she had just won in her hands. It wasn’t necessarily life changing money but it was quite a bit of cash. She used it to fan herself and smirked “I am a little bit of a shark, yes!”

 

Nicole laughed again and gave her head a shake “How did you do that?”

 

Shae just shrugged a little and looked at the money. She thought it over for a second or two then laughed “I have always been pretty lucky, I guess.”

 

“You are amazing” Nicole mumbled. She took a step over to Shae and without thinking, because her judgment and inhibitions were clouded by alcohol, she leaned in and kissed Shae on the lips firmly.

 

Shae was surprised. She stiffened for just a second before the shock wore off and her body relaxed. Her natural instincts kicked in and she returned the kiss just as feverishly as Nicole had given it to her.

 

The two of them stood there in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the tiny cowboy bar kissing passionately for a few moments. Soon the passion started to turn a little more desperate and Nicole pulled back. She took in a deep breath, licked her lips, and nodded at Shae “My room is close to here…”

 

Shae nodded quickly too. Nicole didn’t have to finish her statement. She didn’t have to ask, even. They were on the same page. So she just reached out and grabbed Nicole’s hand, licking her lips before giving her a little pull “Lead the way, cowgirl.”

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

Nicole groaned as she shifted her head away from the sunlight that was pouring through the curtains in her room. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had slept. All she knew was it was light outside. Too light. She rubbed at the back of her head and let out a soft sigh. She had such a bad headache that it felt like her skull was being crushed.

 

“Good morning” Shae’s voice cut in through the relative silence of the room.

 

Nicole’s eyes went wide. The night before came back to her and her head shot up. She pushed up onto her elbows and that was when she realized she was naked. She turned her head toward the voice and tried to focus on the shape that was standing next to the bed. It took a minute but she was finally able to make out Shae’s face. She licked at her lips and realized her mouth was dry. When she spoke it was a little gritty as she desperately needed a drink “Holy shit, I think I died last night. Did I die?”

 

Shae let out a laugh and set down the water she had brought over. She also set down the coffee she had made with the coffee maker in the room. She was dressed in only the hotel robe and she moved to sit on the side of bed near Nicole’s hips “You were calling God’s name a lot but I don’t think you died. I’m not really into necrophilia so I hope you were alive the entire time.”

 

Nicole let out a soft laugh. She blushed a little bit and reached for the water. She took a long drink from the cup and let out a happy sigh at the feeling of it re-hydrating her soul. She set the water back near the bed then rolled over to her back. She sat up, leaning against the headboard behind her, and pulling the sheet up over herself. She eyed Shae carefully and gave her a smile “I can’t remember the last time I drank like that.”

 

“Well for what it’s worth you handle it really well. You didn’t throw up and you stayed conscious the entire time” Shae smirked. She sipped at her coffee then shrugged as she swallowed. “So you’re a cop?”

 

Nicole, who was mid-sip of her own coffee, paused. She perked an eyebrow at that and slowly dropped the cup away from her mouth. She opened her mouth to ask how Shae knew that then stopped and let out a laugh “Please tell me I did not blurt that out while we were…” She motioned between herself and Shae and shook her head.

 

“After” Shae assured her with a laugh. “Between rounds actually. I asked how you had so much stamina and you went into great detail about what you had to endure during the academy training.”

 

Nicole groaned and hid her face in embarrassment. She was such a nerd about her passion for being a cop. The last thing she wanted to do was blabber on to a pretty girl about it. Especially while naked. She shook her head as the images of her doing just that filled her head and she looked at Shae with a little blush on her cheeks “I do that sometimes. You can just tell me to shut up.”

 

“It was cute” Shae smirked. “And it totally scored you points with me. I love a woman who has a passion.”

 

Nicole smiled very softly. She took another sip from her coffee then nodded slowly “Passion is one thing I am not short on that is for sure.”

 

“Good” Shae stood up from the bed now. She moved over and leaned in to touch a kiss to Nicole’s lips. It was sweet and soft and lingered just a few moments before she pulled back. She gave Nicole a nod then motioned behind herself “I am going to go shower and than you and I going out on the town for round two.”

 

“Round two of what?” Nicole asked with an interested smile on her lips.

 

“Celebration, duh” Shae rolled her eyes as if that should have been obvious. “You just graduated the police academy. That deserve just as much celebration as me getting my dream job. Besides…” She smirked and headed toward the bathroom. She paused before she looked back at Nicole with a smirk “We have a shit load of money to blow now.”

 

Nicole let out a laugh. She watched Shae disappear into the bathroom and gave her head a shake. Shae was going to get her into trouble and for once she was going to embrace it. She could go back to being a law-abiding citizen later. For now she was intent to live by the mantra that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“Incoming!” Shae shouted as she sat down next to Nicole with a tray full of shots. She slid the tray in front of Nicole and let out a laugh as a few of them sloshed over. They were in the middle of a strip club in the middle of the day and they were already drunk. It was the typical Vegas shenanigans.

 

“I am not doing all of these” Nicole pointed at the tray that held eight shots.

 

“No duh” Shae rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. “We are gonna share!”

 

Nicole laughed and shook her head “There is no way I can do four shots in a row right now!”

 

“How about this” Shae licked her lips and focused on the shots. “Every time a new dancer comes on stage we take a shot.”

 

Nicole puffed out her cheeks and looked wide eyed at the shots. She thought it over for a moment then let out the breath she held in her cheeks and gave her head a shake “That’s like every two minutes.”

 

“Fine” Shae shrugged and motioned to the main stage “How about every time one of them is wearing….” She thought it over and shrugged “Green?”

 

Nicole thought it over for a moment then gave a nod “Okay that seems fair.”

 

“Or” Shae lifted her hand as if to make a new point. “How about every time you tell me something personal you take a shot.”

 

Nicole perked an eyebrow at that and smiled softly “Well I could just sit here and not talk the entire time.”

 

“But you won’t” Shae pointed at her with a smirk. “Because you are drunk and I know how much you love to talk when you are drunk.”

 

Nicole curled her lip and let out a grunt “Good point.”

 

“Every time I tell you something personal, I will drink too.” Shae shrugged at that and nodded. “Fair?”

 

“I think so” Nicole said with a smile. Just then a new song started and a new girl came on stage. Nicole looked up and eyed the girl slowly before looking back at Shae. She gave the girl a smile then held out her hand “Now gimme some money to tip this hard working lady.”

 

“What am I, your sugar momma?” Shae teased as she dug out some bills.

 

“For the weekend” Nicole nodded, smirking as Shae placed some cash in her hand.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“You were serious” Shae said with a laugh as she looked at Nicole who had her head propped up on her hand and was sitting beside her silently. “You really aren’t going to talk are you?”

 

Nicole laughed and just shrugged her shoulders. She eyed the eight shots still sitting in front of them then looked up at Shae with a smile “I am just trying to sober up slightly before you find another way to get me to drink all of these.”

 

“You honestly don’t have to if you don’t want to” Shae said with a little frown. Her hand reached out and lightly came to rest against Nicole’s leg. “I would never make you drink. I just thought we were having fun.”

 

“We are” Nicole assured her quickly. She reached down and put her hand over Shae’s and gave it a squeeze. “But I definitely don’t want to go overboard like yesterday. I like you” She smiled softly and let out a laugh. Her hand lifted from where it was holding Shae’s and moved to grab a shot and move it to her mouth.

 

Shae looked surprised and she let out a laugh as Nicole took the shot. “What was that all about?”

 

“I like you. I admitted something personal” Nicole shrugged and motioned to the shots. “I was holding up my end of the bargain and also proving a point. I can’t talk to you without spilling my guts because that is what I do with people I like.”

 

“You like me, huh?” Shae teased, giving Nicole a wink. She reached out now and grabbed a shot as well before nodding just once “That’s good because I like you, too.” After her words were spoken she threw back the shot quickly.

 

Nicole laughed very softly. She watched Shae take the drink without even flinching. She perked an eyebrow at that and tilted her head to the side as she asked “How are you so good at that?”

 

Shae shrugged and reached for another shot “You don’t escape medical school without a few nights of binge drinking.”

 

“That wasn’t something personal” Nicole reached out and stopped Shae from taking the shot she had just grabbed. “I assumed you went to medical school. How else do you become a doctor, right?”

 

Shae laughed and nodded in agreement. She set the shot back down and smiled at the other woman “You’re pretty smart. You must have gone to a good school, too.”

 

Nicole shook her head just once. She sat up a little on her stool and shrugged “All I’ve ever really wanted to do was be a cop. My parents weren’t very thrilled when I said I was changing majors in favor of police work.” She reached out for a shot now and took it quickly.

 

“Why?” Shae asked softly. Her attention was completely on Nicole now. “Why is a cop the only thing you ever wanted to do?”

 

Nicole just shrugged a little bit. She reached for her water and took a sip before looking back over to Shae with a smile and a shake of her head that told her she did not want to keep talking because she did not want to take any more shots at the moment.

 

“Okay, okay” Shae let out a laugh and shook her head. “If I ask a personal question you can answer without having to take a shot. Deal?”

 

Nicole let out a laugh and nodded in agreement to the deal. She let out a sigh of relief and shrugged once more “I think it’s noble, you know? Putting your life on the line every day for other people. Fighting to uphold the laws that the people who founded my country put in place. Helping people who need your help without them having to ask for that help.”

 

“How very patriotic” Shae said with a little smirk of amusement. “So you are a goody two-shoes is what you are telling me?”

 

Nicole smirked and just shrugged her shoulders. She took another drink from her water cup and cleared her throat. “I like to do what’s right. I think there aren’t enough people in the world who put what’s right ahead of their own wants. It’s nice, you know? Being a good person. It’s just who I am.”

 

“It’s adorable” Shae said with a smile. She put her hand back on Nicole’s leg and gave it a squeeze “And admirable. I like that about you.”

 

Nicole blushed and her eyes dropped away from Shae. She bit her lip and looked up at the other woman after a moment and just shrugged her shoulders “Thank you.”

 

“Of course” Shae gave the girl a little wink. She gave Nicole’s hand a squeeze then motioned to the shots “Now, keep talking. We have a few more shots to take before we go do something stupid.”

 

Nicole let out a laugh at that “Oh? Have you finally settled on another stupid adventure? Does it involve swindling more old machines out of their money?”

 

“Not at all” Shae offered with a smirk before motioning to the drinks. “I’m not telling you. Not until you drink up!”

 

Nicole shook her head and looked at the shots “You have one more than me. So you should do the talking.”

 

“Fine” Shae reached out to grab one of the shots “I was going to be a surgeon but I can’t stitch to save a life. Literally.” She laughed then threw back the shot. She licked her lips, cleared her throat, and reached for another. “I came out when I was twelve but didn’t kiss a girl until college.” She smirked and took another shot. Once that one was gone she reached for the last one “I’ve never been in love but I think I could fall for someone…” She looked up Nicole and offered her a gentle smile “…maybe sooner than I think.” With the last of her words she took the last of her shots.

 

Nicole stared at her wide eyed. It had all happened so quickly that her head was spinning. She couldn’t believe Shae had just knocked back three shots in a row. She let out a laugh and shook her head “You’re insane. You’re going to get me in trouble.”

 

“Yeah yeah yeah” Shae pushed the last two shots toward Nicole and nodded. “Fess up!”

 

Nicole gave her head a shake and laughed as she looked at the shots. She thought it over for a moment before she finally reached for one “Okay, um, I don’t talk to my parents.” She took a shot quickly after her words.

 

“Why not?” Shae perked an eyebrow. 

 

“I didn’t interrupt you” Nicole pointed, laughing as she reached for the last shot. She cleared her throat and eyed the shot as if it was the last thing she wanted near her in the world. She groaned and let out a breath as if she was steeling her nerves for the last drink “My parents were absent for most of my life.”

 

Shae’s eyes went wide as she watched Nicole take the last shot. Her mouth dropped and she let her head shake in sadness “Why?

 

Nicole grunted and wiped at her lips with the back of her hand. The last shot was trying to come back up. She shook her head and took a few long drinks from her water as if trying to wash away the taste of the alcohol she had just consumed. She finished the water then stood up and reached her hand out toward Shae “I’ll fill you in as we stumble to our next stupid adventure. Come on.”

 

Shae let out a soft laugh and took Nicole’s hand. She eyed Nicole with a whole new level of respect as she led her from the club and onto the streets of Vegas.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“So is Haught your real name or…?” Shae asked with a smirk as she looked up from the form she was filling out.

 

Nicole let out a laugh and looked up from her own paperwork. “Why? Do you want to take it so you can use it to pick up on women, too?”

 

“So you admit it! You DO use it as a pick up line!” Shae let out a playful gasp.

 

Nicole smirked and looked Shae over “If it didn’t work so well I’d have to try harder, but…” She motioned to Shae as if she was a prime example.

 

“Wow” Shae pointed at Nicole with her mouth dropped open in honest surprise “Are you calling me easy?”

 

“Not at all, dear” Nicole cooed playfully. She gave the girl a wink then looked back down at the paper she was filling out. She was quiet for a moment before looking back up at the other woman “How did I let you talk me into this?”

 

“You’ll be entitled to half my winnings here. Plus when tax time comes around we won’t be dinged as hard” Shae shrugged and glanced up at Nicole with a smirk. “Plus, we’ve done basically every other cliched stupid Vegas adventure. This seemed like the logical next step.”

 

“You realize I am Canadian, right?” Nicole offered up a laugh at that. “I don’t pay taxes in this country.”

 

“Well you will now, my darling!” Shae teased as she signed the paper she had been filling out. She looked up at Nicole and smiled “Almost done?”

 

Nicole lifted her paper and showed it was completed. She handed it over with a smile then stood up from the little table she had been sitting at. Her eyes went wide as she almost fell over, the last of the shots hitting her just then, and she let out a laugh “Okay but you’re gonna have to hold me up at the altar.”

 

Shae laughed and stood now too. She turned and got the attention of the little old lady who worked at the chapel they had stumbled into after the strip club. She waved her down and once she came over to them she held out the papers “okay we are ready!”

 

The lady grinned widely and looked over the forms. When everything looked to be in place she nodded and looked at the girls “I just need your IDs and we will get this rolling!”

 

Both girls dug out their ID cards and handed them over. They watched the lady run off before Shae turned around to face Nicole. She reached out for her hand and gave the girl a pull until they were pressed together. She slid her arms around her tightly and gave a single nod “You’re damn right I’m taking your last name. Think about it. Officer and Doctor Haught. I am pretty sure I saw a porn with that title once.”

 

Nicole lost it at that. She threw her head back and let out a loud laugh. 

 

Shae laughed too. Nicole’s laugh was infectious. She watched her laugh and gave a nod when Nicole looked back at her. The two girls stood there in each others’ arms for a moment before Shae felt her balance leave her. She let out a gasp and reached out for the wall to catch them both before they fell.

 

Nicole went wide eyed. She reached out and caught them against the wall as well. They both stared at each other in surprise before she let out a laugh and shook her head “Okay it can not be legal for us to get married while we’re this drunk.”

 

“And yet…” Shae lifted her hands to motion around them and grinned “Viva Las Vegas!”

 

“Okay you two lovebirds. Are you ready?” The lady returned and greeted them with a smile.

 

The girls turned and looked at the woman. Nicole nodded quickly. Shae have a nod as well. With that the lady motioned for them to follow and led them into the chapel to start the ceremony.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“Let’s go!” Nicole called out as she stood at the hotel door with all of her gear strapped on her or stuffed into the bags she was holding.

 

“I’m coming, I’m coming” Shae laughed as she came out of the bathroom of the room and looked around for something. “Have you seen my-” She looked up and saw Nicole standing there with everything in her arms and she laughed “You are the most prepared person I know.”

 

Nicole laughed at that “I told you I am detail-oriented. I am also excited! Three whole days of you and me in the woods, rock climbing, and other things…” She smirked and looked Shae over slowly. “So let’s go!”

 

“Not until you tell me what the other things are” Shae smirked, standing there defiantly with her hands on her hips.

 

“You know what the other things are” Nicole said blandly.

 

“No I don’t” Shae shook her head and played dumb.

 

Nicole rolled her eyes at that “What do you think happens on honeymoons?”

 

“I have no idea I’ve never been married before” Shae was fighting off another sarcastic smirk while she stood there as coyly as possible.

 

“Well if you don’t know that means I don’t have to fulfill those things which means more energy for rock climbing” Nicole shrugged nonchalantly then moved toward the door.

 

“Okay, okay!” Shae hurried after her with a laugh. She reached out and pulled the door open so Nicole could leave the room then followed behind her. “Sheesh, you are no fun to tease.”

 

“Oh I’m great at teasing” Nicole offered with a smirk.

 

Shae rolled her eyes but let out a soft laugh “Not what I said.”

 

“But it’s what I meant” Nicole nodded proudly as they made their way to the elevator of the hotel. She was surprised she was so excited for her honeymoon even though she had stupidly married a stranger in Vegas. Maybe it would work out. They had been getting along so far. It had only been a week but at least it was off to a good start.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“I don’t know she just fell” Shae said with a shake of her head as she stood at Nicole’s bedside in the emergency room. “We were coming down off the face and her last clip wasn’t in tight enough” She shrugged and looked at the doctor “All I heard was a thud.”

 

“Well it looks like it’s shattered” The doctor said with a nod. She looked down at Nicole then to Shae and sighed “It’s going to need immediate surgery.”

 

Shae nodded and looked down at Nicole. She reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze “Don’t be scared. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

 

Nicole just nodded. The pain medicine that she had been given was kicking in. Well, the second round was. The first round they had given her had nearly killed her. She hadn’t known before today that she had any allergies. It was a good thing they caught it early and fixed it right away. She felt great now. There was no pain. She just wanted a nap.

 

“How long will it take?” Shae asked softly.

 

“A few hours. They will come let you know when she is out of surgery but you won’t be able to see her until visiting hours start tomorrow morning” The doctor mumbled as he made notes.

 

“No, I have to be here when she wakes up” Shae said with a frown.

 

“Only immediate family can be in the room outside visiting hours.”

 

“She’s my wife” Nicole mumbled softly. 

 

Shae nodded in agreement “I am her immediate family. Her only family.”

 

“Oh” The doctor looked between the two of them. “My apologize, I didn’t know. Of course we will come get you when she is out of surgery in that case.”

 

“Thank you” Shae turned now to Nicole. She leaned over her head and kissed her on the forehead lightly “You’ll be okay. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

 

Nicole just nodded. She felt sleepy. All she wanted to do was nap.

 

A team of nurses came in to gather Nicole for surgery. Shae was asked to step aside and she just watched helplessly as they wheeled Nicole out of the room. She let out a sigh and sat down in the chair that remained in the now empty room. This was definitely not how she had planned on spending her honeymoon.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

“How are you feeling today?” Shae asked softly as she set down some water with the pain killers that Nicole had been prescribed when she left the hospital.

 

“Alright” Nicole said with a shrug. She looked at the cast on her ankle and let out a sigh. “I just can’t wait to get back on my feet.”

 

“You can’t even try to walk again for another two weeks” Shae said as she moved from the living room where Nicole was laid out on her couch to the kitchen. After the surgery, Shae had talked Nicole into coming to stay with her until she was better. Maybe longer. They were married, after all.

 

“I know” Nicole grumbled as she stared at the cast. “I feel like it’s been forever, though.”

 

“A month” Shae said with a shrug. She put together a bowl of the oatmeal she had been cooking then brought it over to Nicole. “You should eat with those pills.”

 

“I know” Nicole said with another mumble. “You tell me every day. Just because I’m not a doctor doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

 

“I never said that” Shae said with a frown.

 

“I’m sorry” Nicole sighed and dropped her head in shame. She drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “I’m sorry. I feel so trapped here. I can’t move by myself. The crutches they gave me are chafing my armpits. You’re gone all day at work. I feel like I’m going crazy.”

 

“I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do” Shae said with a genuine nod “But I can’t miss work. Someone has to pay your medical bills.”

 

“I never asked you to do that” Nicole grumbled.

 

“No, you’re right, you didn’t. But the money we made in Vegas ran out and you’re my wife so your debt is mine.” Shae sighed at that and moved back toward the kitchen.

 

“I’m sorry it’s such a burden for you” Nicole said a sharply. “Look, if it’s so awful taking care of me why did you offer to have me stay with you?”

 

“Because I care about you” Shae threw her hands up in frustration. “Because you’re my wife. Because the last thing I wanted was you to be alone while you recover. You need support, Nicole, whether you will admit it or not.”

 

Nicole let out a sigh. She knew she was being terrible. She was in pain but the pain killers they gave her made her grumpy. She was unhappy with the entire situation. She hated relying on others for help. She drew in a deep breath and shook her head “I’m sorry. I’m terrible to be around, I get it. I’m trying.”

 

“I know you are” Shae said softly. She moved over to Nicole once more. She touched a kiss to the top of her head then moved toward the door “I have to go to work. I’ll be home as soon as I can but please call if you need anything.”

 

Nicole lifted her hand to wave Shae away. She waited until she heard the door close before she let out another heavy sigh. Shae was right. Being alone through this would have been awful. She just wished she wasn’t so mean to her all the time. As soon as she could get away with not taking the pain killers she would flush them down the toilet.

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

 

Four months after the accident Nicole was finally able to walk on her own again. She had been going to rehab and doing strength training and her doctor had finally given her the all clear. She felt like a new woman. She couldn’t wait to get out in the world and fight crime again. She spent her days sending out job applications to any and all police departments she could find that were hiring.

 

Finally she got an offer. It was a good one. It was honestly everything Nicole had dreamed about. There was one downside. It was nowhere near where she was living with Shae. So that night she waited for Shae to get home so she could break the news.

 

“Hey, how was your day?” Shae asked with a tired smile as she walked into her apartment that night.

 

“Good” Nicole said with a nod. “Great, actually” She smiled at that. She moved over to help Shae with her bag then motioned to the kitchen table where she had dinner set out for her. “Here, take a seat.”

 

Shae smiled at that. Nicole had been nicer to her since she had started her rehab. She was making up for all the times she had been grumpy in the beginning. Shae moved to the table and sat down before looking back to Nicole “What’s the occasion?”

 

“Well” Nicole smiled then sat across from her at the table. She reached out to take her hand and gave her a nod “I got a job offer.”

 

“Really?” Shae grinned widely. She knew how long Nicole had been looking.

 

Nicole gave a nod of her head. “A really good one, too. Actually, the sheriff that wants to hire me was someone who had reached out to me right after I graduated the academy. I hadn’t answered him because I was on my trip to Vegas. I’m just glad the position was still available.”

 

“That is awesome” Shae said with a sincere nod of her head. “It must be fate.”

 

“Yeah, must be” Nicole said softly. She let out a sigh and her smile faded. She pulled her hand away from Shae’s and shrugged “It’s just that it’s…”

 

Shae frowned. She did not like the sudden change in Nicole’s demeanor. “What?”

 

“It’s in Canada” Nicole said softly. “Like in the middle of nowhere Canada. Like, thousands of miles away from here.”

 

“Oh” Shae let out the breath she had been holding.

 

“Yeah” Nicole said with a nod.

 

The two of them remained silent for a few moments. It was obvious they were both thinking the news over. There was a lot to consider now.

 

Shae finally cleared her throat and looked back up at Nicole with a smile “You have to go. It’s your dream job. You know how I feel about dream jobs.”

 

Nicole nodded once but she didn’t smile. She felt terrible. “I know. But what about…” She sighed and motioned between the two of them slowly.

 

“Look” Shae said with a gentle smile as she reached out to take Nicole’s hand. “I think we are lying to ourselves and each other if we really believed this thing was gonna last, right? I mean it was funny at first. Then the accident happened. Then your recovery.” She shrugged her shoulders just once “Not even I’m heartless enough to dump an injured woman.”

 

Nicole let out a laugh that died as soon as it left her lips. She frowned and gave her head a shake “Did we make a huge mistake?”

 

“Probably” Shae said with a sincere nod. “But, hey, that’s what being young and drunk in Vegas is all about, right?”

 

Nicole laughed again. This time her lips held a smile “It is, if nothing else, a great story to tell.”

 

“Exactly. One day you’ll surprise your grand kids who have always thought grandma was careful and tame.” Shae squeezed Nicole’s hand once more before letting it go.

 

Nicole nodded at that. She drew in a deep breath then let it out in a defeated sigh “So what now?”

 

“You go and take that dream job of yours” Shae said with a nod. “I stay here. We draw up some annulment papers and get it taken care of whenever we can.”

 

Nicole smiled slightly then nodded again “No rush on that, honestly. With you being my wife that means my parents are no longer my next of kin so if I get shot or something they will never know.”

 

“Don’t joke about that” Shae said with a frown.

 

Nicole just shrugged “It’s a risk of the job. One I am willing to take every day of my life.”

 

Shae smiled fondly at Nicole and gave her head a shake “You see that right there? That noble way you are so selfless? That is why I fell for you in the first place.”

 

Nicole blushed slightly. She chewed her lip almost nervously until she looked back to Shae. She offered her a smile as she spoke again softly “We did have a good time, didn’t we?”

 

“Definitely” Shae said with a soft laugh. “And for what it’s worth you will always hold a special place in my heart. No matter where we go from here.”

 

Nicole smiled gratefully at that “Same to you. You’ll always be one of my best friends.”

 

“Ditto” Shae stood up now and moved over to where Nicole sat. She touched the softest kiss to the top of her head then scooped her hand under her chin to pull until Nicole lifted her eyes to her. When they met, Shae smiled “Promise me one thing, Haught.”

 

“Anything” Nicole said sincerely. 

 

“Don’t be afraid to fall in love for real, okay?” Shae ran her thumb over Nicole’s chin and smiled. “If someone comes along that you would take a bullet for, don’t let her go. You got it?”

 

Nicole nodded quickly at that. “The same goes for you, Shae. I want you to be happy.”

 

Shae smiled at that and let her hand fall away from Nicole’s chin “You have my word, Haught.”

 

Nicole stood now. She slid her arms around Shae and held her in a tight hug. It lingered for a minute before Nicole pulled back. She offered the other woman a smile and gave her a single nod “I’m going to miss you.”

 

“Of course you will” Shae said with a little smirk. “Who else is going to get you into stupid adventures like I did?”

 

Nicole let out a soft laugh and shook her head “I’m not sure there’s a woman on Earth that can put me in as much danger as you have.”

 

“Well if you find one you should definitely hold onto her for good.” Shae gave her a little wink then motioned with her head toward their bedroom “Now go get packed. Your dreams are out there waiting for you.”

 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.


End file.
